1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool used for alignment of a door in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The alignment of a door in a motor vehicle is typically accomplished by applying force to the door until an area at or near the door hinges is bent and the door is aligned. U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,683 discloses a vehicle door aligning tool that is comprised of a lever that attaches at a first axial location to a lock pin on a door jamb of an associated vehicle body, the lever attaching at a second axial location to an associated door lock of an associated door. Also known to the applicant is a tool much like that described in the above referenced patent, the main differences being that the non-patented tool engages in the door lock by means of a loop rather than a shoulder bolt, has a means for engaging the door lock which is pivotally attached to the lever, and is accompanied by a pair of shims for use at the engagement of the tool with the door lock.
While the above referenced prior art teaches of devices for aligning vehicle doors, several problems exist with those devices.
First, the engagement of the devices taught by the prior art with the door lock leaves some play between the devices and the door lock. Due to this play the devices tend to pivot around the door lock with which they are engaged, when they are used to pry upward or downward the door in order to bend the metal hinges of the door or the area surrounding the hinges. This pivoting can cause damage to the lock, which on occasion may cause the door to open during use, endangering the vehicle's occupants. The surface of the door surrounding the lock, typically made of metal, may be bent by the device or the paint on that surface may be damaged. Vehicle identification numbers and computerized bar codes, both of which are modernly glued on to the door surface near the lock, may also be damaged thwarting their uses.
Second, the tendency of the devices to pivot when used to force a door up or down also causes difficulties to the operator of the devices, as he or she is forced to apply torque to the lever to attempt to avoid the damages mentioned above.
Third, the play between the devices and the door lock makes it difficult for the operator to gauge the amount of adjustment being provided to the door hinge area, resulting in misalignment and repeated adjustments.
Fourth, the prior art devices only allow alignment of the door in a vertical direction with the door almost closed, and do not provide any means for vertical adjustment of the door while it is fully open, which can be needed with any vehicle, and is commonly needed with many modern cars.
Fifth, the prior art teaches no means for dealing with large variations in the distance that the outside wall of the door extends beyond the door lock in the direction away from the door hinges. The doors of many vehicles, especially minivans, have outside walls that extend so far beyond the door lock that a door alignment device used for an average car door will not work on there doors, as the device cannot simultaneously engage in the door lock and the lock pin of the associated vehicle and avoid the outside wall.